Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My current experience is a jungle carpet python, Irian Jaya carpet python, ball python, and a corn. I have kept local rat and grader snakes from CA to NY/NJ. So…my question is how are Blue Beauty Rat snakes to keep. I’m looking for a good resource for information on husbandry. They look pretty cool and I have a great place to get one. Some pointers on the finer positive attributes would be appreciated. I’m just starting the process so as much input as possible would be also be great.

-Thanks so much

these are awesome looking and very active animals.... they prefer to be kept cooler than N A ratsnakes, and are not much for being handled... mine never really tamed down, even with very frequent handling.

it is amazing how fast they grow - you can almost see it happening. Mine reached six ft. in one year - without power feeding!!

later, byron.d

When you say they sometimes don’t settle down, do you mean they try to get away, or do you mean they are nippy and they defecate on you? I see that they are very active and like to clime, what size habitats should I have when it is full groan? 24”x48”x36”? Do they like a small enclosure when they are young? What humidity do they like? Do they need to hibernate or do you cool them off just for breeding? Is their a difference between male and females?
-Thanks again

one of my pairs, after about a year were 'alright' about being handled.. the others never got used to it, and would strike and bite - although they never crapped on me. They, like most Asian rats, seem nervous and are very flighty.

because they are so active, the larger the enclosure the better. as hatchlings, I kept mine in five gallon size tanks - which they quickly outgrew. they also love to climb and mine always preferred to hide in the plants if provided..

I was told and proved, that they didn’t need to be cooled for breeding. for that matter, mine produced a good viable clutch at just over one year of age.

misting once or twice a week helps for breeding, but did not prove necessary...

This is what I learned from experience.. its not gospal...

byron.

Taiwan has a tropical/subtropical climate with plenty of humidity. Freisi can likely stay active year 'round, but I would guess they would like a rest of a month or more at 55-65*F, while they cycle. The reason they seem to be so active is that they have both ratsnake and racer-like characteristics. I would make sure I had a good temp range and don't stick them at one temp. BTW, I don't keep these anymore, but do have the Chinese taeniura.

TC

It's actually funny i was holding my blue beauty as i was reading through these posts....

i just got a hatchling blue beauty a couple months ago she was two months when i got her. Ive recently housed two russian rat snakes, milks, fox snakes, and have 3 corns right now. My beauty seems very tame, i hold her at least two times a day and have never been bitten but i heard that they develop attitudes as they get bigger and a lot ofpeople have told me the more you handle the more docile they are,, ive read from a lotta people that they have pretty docile blue beauties and some say they are nippy.. as far as my viv i have her in a 10 gallon right now cause shes not that big and i use a coco[bleep] bedding substrate that comes in a block and you add water to it and it expands... this helps with the humidty a lot, and you need to keep branches for climbing... blue beauties need higher humidites for shedding... i have heard that the tawainese beauties dont need higher humidities like the vietnamese blue beauties and are a little more docile,, they look pretty much identical in pattern but are more yellow than the blues,, but they are an awesome snake i havent had any problems with mine thus far, my only concern is to see how she mellows out or acts up as she matures. also they get pretty big up to 8ft,, hope this helps

i have a pair that i have grown since hatchlings, and they are supposed albino hets. they are both just over six feet, what i want to know is if they need to be hibernated, do they show the same jerking characteristics of american rats, or do they eventually start their mating behaviors. does anyone know the incubation temp and is time of year pertinant to them hooking up? thanks greg